


Māuiui

by beaches_at_treasure_island



Series: In which Maori is slaughtered [5]
Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: Hurt/Comfort, I Will Go Down With This Ship, Implied Relationships, M/M, Maori, Pre-Slash, butchered languages, quilson, slade speaks maori, sladiver - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-13
Updated: 2015-03-13
Packaged: 2018-03-17 17:42:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 598
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3538355
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/beaches_at_treasure_island/pseuds/beaches_at_treasure_island
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Slade's wound is infected and only Oliver can help him now.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Māuiui

Slade knew that his wound was infected. Side effect of digging a bullet out of his arm with a dull blade and no real medical supplies, he supposed. He listened as Oliver stomped loudly through the wreckage in the plane, grunting and coughing through the pain he was under.

“Hey,” Oliver greeted softly, “Hey. Drink.” He pressed the lip of the makeshift cup to Slade’s lips, tilting the vessel to let the fluid trickle down the other man’s throat.

Slade let the water roll over his tongue before turning his head and spitting it out. “Takes like dirt,” he sputtered, shuddering as pain wracked his prostrated form.

Oliver stared down at Slade. “You have to stay hydrated, okay?” His tone was harsher than before, firmly reminding Slade that he needed the water.

“Hydration is not my problem,” Slade replied heatedly. “My problem is getting a bullet dug out of my arm with a dull blade. Ugh, _te koretake hoki..._ ”

Oliver leaned over Slade. “Let me take a look,” he stated, peeling the bandage away from Slade’s arm. Pus clung to the fabric; Slade knew it was bad without having to see it. “O-oh... Uh...” Oliver grimaced.

“It’s infected. Go figure,” Slade said as sarcastically as he could manage, eyes meeting Oliver’s.

“Uh... Uh... I’ve got to stop that before it spreads.” He stood and began gathering supplies: a military grade knife, a holster, and a small flashlight.

“Well, kid, when you stop by that drugstore for antibiotics, you wanna get me a copy of Maxim? Or maybe a Sports Illustrated?” Slade snarked with a pained smirk.

Oliver turned back to face Slade with a serious look, “Yao Fei had these...super herbs back in the cave. The- they’ll heal anything. Alright? I’m gonna go get them.”

Slade tracked Oliver’s movements as he made his way to the door. “You’re not going to last an hour out there, _tamaiti_ ,” he whispered hoarsely.

Oliver turned back quickly. “Well, I guess you better hope I get back in forty five minutes, then,” the younger man barked, feeling affronted. He left the plane as Slade looked away.

It felt like hours as Slade lay there, alone, thinking while his body ached and shivered with heat and cold as the fever took over. Eventually, Oliver came back clutching a sachet of Yao Fei’s so-called ‘super herbs.’ Slade watched as the kid ground them up in a cup of water before handing it to Slade.

Sitting up, Slade forced himself to drink down the gritty mixture before commenting on it to Oliver. “It tastes like an ashtray. But,” he added with a small grin, “it does the job. I owe you one.” Oliver shrugged, not looking at Slade or replying to his praise like he might have done only days ago. Slade felt a sneaking suspicion in the pit of his stomach as he asked weakly, “You didn’t get into any trouble out there, did you?”

Oliver jerked as if he were lost in his thoughts and refocused on Slade. “Hm?” Slade cocked his head at a different angle, trying to decipher Oliver’s expression but it was blank. “No,” Oliver said, realizing what Slade had asked him. “No, not a thing,” the boy repeated, shaking his head.

“Well, kid, _toku whakawhetai tino mau_. I’m grateful for what you did today,” Slade told Oliver with a bit of pride. He handed the boy back his cup and let Oliver help him to his cot.

“Get some rest, Slade,” Oliver commanded gently.

“You too, kid. _Pai moe, ipo_ ,” Slade murmured as he drifted off to sleep.

**Author's Note:**

> Maori to English Translations:   
> Māuiui – sick/ill  
> Te koretake hoki – How useless!  
> Toku whakawhetai tino mau – my most sincere thanks   
> Pai moe, ipo – sleep well, love
> 
> If I fucked up, please let me know. Thanks. :)


End file.
